A young man ventures to his lost love's childhood home in the abandoned city of Pripyat, Ukraine. When a sudden accident puts him off-course, he awakes to discover a lively and vibrant culture living in a nearby village and a woman who reignites his heart. But something sinister lurks in the shadows, and he must face the terror and help defend the village from evil before it is lost forever. Go beyond the tragedy of Chernobyl and discover the magic in the City of Roses.

Excerpt

Alex’s vision was still blurry as he pushed himself up to face the looming chaos surrounding him. He was lying in the middle of a street as firefighters rushed past him, scrambling frantically. Chernobyl was glowing like the sun ahead of them, beams of blinding light spilling out from a crevice that split through the center of the structure.

Blue flames jumped in columns from the exposed reactor and arched into the Red Forest, exploding with arcane power. The Ferris wheel in Pripyat spun like a rotor blade as the populace lay frozen in their beds, their souls screaming in torment though their bodies remained motionless and unaware. He could hear them.

“This isn’t real,” Alex said in an attempt to jolt his body free of what he knew to be a dream.

Helicopters tore through the sky above him, some hovering above the roof of the nuclear power plant. Alex clenched his eyes shut and shielded his ears as best he could to keep the dust and noise at bay. Trucks rolled past him, carrying more men in to battle against the vicious reactor. They begged for water and mercy, but their bravery in the face of such catastrophe was the very definition of noble.

“I had family there,” a woman’s voice cut through the terror. It was Katya. All the tumultuous noise of the siege faded into the background of Alex’s mind as he recalled her chilling tale. She’d uttered those words months prior, weak and pale on a hospital bed. It was the memory he feared most. It was the day Katya died.

“Some never left.” With a darkened sense of humor, Katya added, “And some drank the milk.”

“It’s so sad,” Alex said while the same words resonated in the air as he’d spoken them in memory. He turned, looking for the source of her voice but finding only the chaos of the Chernobyl meltdown. Tears filled his eyes as he thrashed about, shouting silent pleas, hoping it would end this horrid memory. His real voice went silent. The memory was the only sound.

He knew what was coming next.

“My grandmother used to tell me I had an old soul, same as hers,” Katya continued, a whimsical beauty in the soft whispers of her voice. “I wonder if we’ll go there together? After . . .”

“You’re not going anywhere, Katya. They’re going to get you help, you’ll see.”

“I hope you’ll come and visit.” It was as though her words were on a predetermined path. The strength to argue had passed. Now all that remained was courage to face what was next.

Alex sobbed in both dream and memory. “Katya,” he managed through the pain in his throat. “Please don’t go.”

“Ya lyublyu tebya vsey dushoy, Sasha,” she muttered in her original tongue, her fingertips lifting to caress his face.

But Alex did not recall their touch, because fate had already stolen her strength. Sound returned to the world, the roar of men and flame drowning his ears. Alex trembled, alone with his nightmares. With clenched fists, he turned to Chernobyl and shouted profanities.

In a flash of bright white and blue fire, Chernobyl shouted back.

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About Donovan Pruitt

Donovan Pruitt has a passion for science fiction and fantasy, especially those titles that trend toward young and new adult storytelling. City of Roses was his first standalone book as an indie author, though he has also written for video games and was previously published as a co-author in the fantasy genre. You can visit him online at www.KalaEmpire.com or join the discussion on Twitter @KalaEmpire